Children of London

Yet regardless of how I feel, I can't understand what made you decide to leave us darling. Drifted to the desert to pursue the never-ending sand. Fearful of the atrocities that had occurred when you were present.... Like a breeze you to blew the sand from the desert... and in it you say you found a diamond... Regardless of how I feel... I just hope that you are happy... truly....

To my Sister's sister
Shane S. Kane
Son of London

Shane sits at his desk, eyes staring intently at the frail piece of paper. Though the letter was finish, the deed done, he feels its emptiness. Something was missing. Something he could not put his finger on. And though wanting to, there was nothing he could do. He smiles and thinks of her, her pitch-black hair, and piercing green, judgmental eyes. He shudders, and then pricks his finger and he seals its envelope with his blood. He turns to his assistant.

"Make sure this makes it out of the city before dawn." Shane whispers "Heaven forbid the others discover the horrid thing I've done."

"Of course sir." His assistant says, frank and respect. Shane smiles and stand up. "Anything you need of me before I leave?"

"No. That is all." He grabs his jacket from the chair and his hat from his desk. "Just make haste. Deliver under the cover of dark."

"Of course sir." And she too grabs her jacket from the coat rack. She stuffs the letter in the upper, inner pocket, and then grabs her hat. Shane made haste to open the door and follow her out.

The chilled wind, and soft white snow that fell from the sky left a feeling of sorrow and bleak on Shane as he locks the door of his office and called it a night. He waits but a few minutes as he watched his secretary get in her husband's car. Shane admired that. The two had been married for twenty-seven years. Twenty-seven years of bliss, happiness and working for his family. Yet he had never met her husband, nor did he want to. He merely smiles and waves as the two toned truck drove down the snow-covered street.

His smile melts away and is replaced with a frown. For there was nothing waiting for him but the chauffeur and the cold chills of the night. So with a sigh, he slowly makes his way to the Limo. The chauffeur opens the door, gives a simple bow, and makes his way to the driver seat.

"You're right on time." Shane says. He then he pulls out a cigarette and took a long drag as he lit it. "Think you could do a better job than Edward?" The chauffeur looks into the rearview and smiles.

"I can only try,” says the Chauffeur, and then he begins to drive. As the car makes its way up the slippery road, the two remain quiet, taking a moment to glance at one another before returning back to there own worlds. The chauffeur could feel Shane's nervousness, anyone could. But rather than concern himself with Shane's affairs, he merely clears his throat and swallows his spit.

"Its a little chilly in here" says the Chauffeur, trying his damnedest to force a conversation. "Would you like me to turn on the heat sir?"

Shane looked at the chauffeur and smiled. He then put out his cigarette and throws the half-burnt stick out the window. Edward watched as he lights another.

"That is just fine." Shane continues to smoke his cigarette, taking casual drags, as to savor the taste. Or to calm oneself "So. What's your name?"

The chauffeur looks into the rearview yet again. "Edward Jackson, junior sir"

Shane frowns, and then takes a long drag from his cigarette. He then looks out the window "I give you my condolences. Your father, he was a good man. It saddens me to think that after thirty years of dedication. A good man would bring his own end. He seemed so happy." He then takes out a cigarette. "Smoke?"

"Trying to quit. But thank you for the offer."

"That’s a wise choice. For you and your wallet"

"That is true" Edward then glances in the mirror yet again, then stares forward. "You might want to follow suit. Not to sound out of line."

"You might be right" Shane reaches into his upper pocket and pulled out a folded piece of parchment paper. "Or it might be in your best interest not to concern yourself with me. We shall see at the end." Shane then hands the parchment paper to Edward.

He takes the paper and slowly begins to unfold its fragile corners. He then looks back into the rearview. "A map?"

"I would suggest you memorize it." Shane says, "For these are the only places I will ever need to go." At the next corner, Edward glances it over, as though he were studying it as hard as possible. Then he folds it and puts it in his top pocket.

"Done" Edward says, and then he looks in the rearview and smiled. "Where will I be taking you today, Sir?"

"You're a quick study." Shane smiles and puts his cigarette out. "You'll go far in this family."

"I try Sir." Edward says with a chuckle in his voice.

"Good." Shane begins to light another. "Take a left here. We're going to See Marina."

"Yes sir!" Says Edward, and with a slight of hand, he turns down Viridian Street. The moment Edward turns down Viridian Street he feels a chill. Now whether it was the wind, or an ominous sign, that remained to be seen.

<<<<>>>>

Viridian Street was an odd one. It had tall grey trees that seemed to tower over the street. In all other seasons, this place would be a most beautiful sight. The gorgeous leaves shimmering in the sun of a warm and beautiful day as it cooled the grass. In the winter this was not at all the case, but rather a bleak and unattractive world it made.

A job is a job.

Edward makes his way up the bleak and unattractive street, the road slippery with ice and snow. As he drives, the street, as well as the ride itself, is quiet and still. Not a peep came from either. The deeper into the horrid street he went, the more uncomfortable Edward feels. This was definitely not the wind that brought the chill, but the street itself.

After a long while of silence, the drive eerie as it is, Shane sighs. “The blue house at the end of the cul-de-sac, park in the driveway.”

“Of course” Edward says with a shutter. He slowly turns his way into the driveway, slow and steady, no need for rush or no desire. Once he parked he turns back to Shane. Shane hands him a cigarette.

“Light it.” Shane says. Edward saw in Shane’s eyes uneasiness, or fear, that made him believe that he might need one. He slowly put the cigarette to his lips and lit it. “Good… now listen up, for what I’m about to tell you are important if you want to drive for me… okay.”

“Sure. I’m listening” Edward puffs on his cigarette.

“Okay” Shane smiles, then he hands him a pen “Take a pad. And listen clear.” Edward fumbles for a pad and reaches for the pen. “Do not, under any circumstance allow Marina to leave your sight. For any reason! Get the picture?”

“Got it.” Edward says with a smile. Shane frowns.

“Do you?”

Edward clears his throat and swallows his spit. “Is there something I should know about her?” His imagination begins to run wild. Had he started work on the wrong day?

“Um. No. Nothing that will hinder your work” Shane says as he climbs out of the car. “Come. You’ll understand when you see her.” Edward follows Shane up the walkway, to the blue house. The closer he walks to the door, the colder it seems to get, like something, something inhuman lied inside. Strange. Though Edward’s gut told him not to go any further, yet his legs kept moving. Was this the feeling that his father warned him about.

<<<<>>>>

“Son. Our family has served The Kane Family for over one hundred and fifty years. But, if at any point you feel that something is not right. Rests assure. It is not."

<<<<>>>>

But no time to think of that. He is already at the door. No going back now. He stops behind Shane as he makes his way to the large black wood doors. Blue house and a large black door. Shane turns to Edward.

“Before we go any further. I must ask you,” He says, tapping his cigarette On top of a tall, bluish green flower that sat next to the door. The flower slowly opens and devours the cigarette. Edward stares in shock. “Are you able to be on time. All the time?”

Edward smiles. “If I wasn’t. I wouldn’t be here.” He immediately thinks of his older brother, Billyando, who couldn’t drive for shit. Always getting lost in downtown London. Sad but true.

“Why that is good to hear. “Shane says as he gently knocks on the door. He only taps twice. That is all he needed. Before Edward had realized it, the two large doors flew open. And there she stood.

She was short. Give or take Five foot four. Edward would give her about fifteen or sixteen years, and he was rarely wrong. He in fact could care less about any of those things. Her hair, her skin, her height, that docile, yet cute frown that ruffled her nose. But her eyes. A piercing green gaze that made him back up and stop dead in his tracks. She stares Shane in his eyes, almost leaning into him.

She slowly sticks her hand out to the plant that seemed to cower as well, in the corner. "Mange pas ca!"

The plant slowly, fearfully, spits the cigarette into her hand. It shrivels up into its pot, as to punish itself.

Slap.

Shane stood stunned, as would any person would.

"Quel est votre problème?" What a power her voice packed. “ As-tu compris, je ne veux pas il manger une cigarettes!” She puts the cigarette butt in his hand. She then looks over his shoulder where Edward stood, a fear that was brought on by an awkward situation.

<<<<>>>>

“Bonjour!” She said with her smile that would make anyone’s heart pound. “Je m'appelle Marina Viridian. La Maitresse de France”

“Now now, Marina. No need for formalities.” Shane says as he sits at the cherry oak dinner table. “Besides, I doubt he understands you. Am I right Edward?”

“Right. Sorry Marina”

And that’s all it took. Before long Marina began to pace the dining room, flustered and uneased. She stopped but a moment to stare at Edward, a look of bewildered misery.

“Is she going to be okay?”

Shane sips on his tea. “She’ll be fine. She is just looking for words. Either that or throwing a tantrum. She does from time to time.”

“I… Am… Ma…rina…. What… Do…. They… Call… You?” Marina said breathing like someone had just got into a fight with there own brain. Shane clapped. The butler and the maids even clapped.

“Bravo, Marina. Bravo!”

She gives a curtsy toward Edward that seemed quick and forced. He got the impression that maybe it was routine. Yet adorable. What possessed him to think in such a manner? He had at least two years on her, or so he thought. Yet he felt uneased as she stared him in his eyes. The whole room waiting for a response. Quiet and eerie. That’s the word. There was something eerie about Marina. And the source of the cold had been found.

<<<<>>>>

“Care for a drink?”

“Um. What do you have sir?”

“The best red wine that Europe has to offer. Or. If you’re feeling curious, we have a black wine that is in a league or its own.”

“Um, think I will stick to scotch. But thank you for the offer sir.”

Shane threw a log on the fireplace, and then sat back in the plush red chair. On the opposite side of the room, sat the butler. Edward could tell he was nervous. He sat, a letter clutched in his right hand, his eyes never wavering away from it.

“Donavan!”

He looks up. “What is it sir?”

“You haven’t delivered the letter yet?”

“No. No sir. I’m waiting for morning sir. That way I can see where I’m going. I have bad eye sight as you know.”

Shane hands him a lantern “Marina will be most upset if you don’t deliver it as soon as possible. She is waiting for a reply from Maxita tomorrow.”

He looks at Shane as he swallows another gulp of wine. Shane looks back at him and smiles.

“Would it be any trouble for you to deliver that letter on time?”

The man looks at the letter, then the lantern. “Of course not sir. I will go get my coat.”

Edward saw it as strange that the man would wait for so long to deliver a letter that he had gotten at dinner, a few hours ago.

“Would you like me to accompany him, Sir?”

“No. Frankly he has become. Lazy lately.” Shane lights a cigarette. “If he would have delivered the letter when he was supposed to. Maybe he would have your company. But he didn’t. Let him live with his mistake.”

“Pardon me for being frank Sir. But isn’t that a little harsh.”

Shane looks at Edward. “ True. But all I ask of anyone is to be on time. Nothing more.”

Slam.

“Edward. Take a pad will you?”

“Of course sir.”

“ Tomorrow morning I need you to take Marina to get her violin fixed at the shop. Every time she goes on her own, she always…” Edward stopped writing. He heard a sound. A song of sorts. It echoed through the hall. It echoed his head. Before he knew it, he had made his way into the hall and followed it through the hall. Left. Right. Up the stairs. It called to him. Beckoned him. Like some lullaby made only for him. Or did he?

“Edward? Edward!” Shane stares at Edward, whose eyes seems fixed on the hall. Edward turns back to Shane.

“Sorry sir. It’s just thought I heard music playing”

“Of course you did.” Shane stands up and leans his head out into the hall. “Oh Marina? Would you mine joining us?” Edward watched as Marina made her way into the room. Her shy, yet content smile. Her feverish blue nightgown and black curls seemed to make her a bit pale, like a glow pale. Moonlight glow. It was as if he were dreaming.

“Marina. Our driver is enticed by your song.” Shane spoke, pouring another drink in his glass. “Would it be too much to ask you to play another? I know it is a little presumptuous.”

To be continued.....